Tongue-support



(No Model.)

T HERBIG TONGUE SUPPORT;

No. 442,226. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

P (Mm D 1 "m w T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOBIAS IIERBIG, OF JASPER, INDIANA.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,226, dated December 9, 1890. Application filed June 24,1890. Serial No. 856,567. (No model.)

T coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TOBIAs HERBIG, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Jasper, in the county of Dubois and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Support, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in tongue-supports.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and comparativelyinexpensive tongue-support adapted when not in use to lie along the lower face of atongue and be out of the way, and provide a latch, which will engage the free end of the tongue and retain the tongue-support in its folded position, and which can be readily withdrawn from engagement with the tongue-support to release the same without strain upon the fingers.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tongue-support constructed in accordance with this invention, the hinged prop being illustrated in its folded position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the hinged prop being shown in operative position. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the spi'ingactuated latch.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a wagon-tongue,which is provided near its front end with a prop 2, hinged to the tongue and adapted to be arranged vertically to support the end of the same, and when not in use is designed to lie along the lower face of the tongue and be retained in that position by a latch 23, the spring-actuated bolt 4 of which engages the free end of the prop. The tongue support or prop 2 is con structed of suitable material, and is provided at its hinged end with a transverse perforation 5, through which passes a staple 6, that hinges the prop to the tongue.

The latch 3 consists of a plate 7, secured to thelower face of the tongue by screws 8, passing through perforations of the plate, and the said plate is provided near each end with transversely-arranged integral lugs 9 and 10, the former being provided with a square opening 11 and the latter having a circular opening 12, and both lugs being adapted for the reception of a sliding bolt 4. The sliding bolt 4 has its front portion squared and arranged in the opening 11 of the lug 9, and

the rear portion of the bolt is cylindrical and is arranged in the circular opening 12 of the lug 10, and a spiral spring 13 encircles the cylindrical portion of the bolt and is interposed between the lug and the squared portion of the bolt and normally maintains the latter in an extended position to engage the free end of the hinged prop and retain thelatter against the lower face of the tongue. The front end 11 of the bolt is beveled to facilitate engagement with the prop, and the end 1a is provided with a shoulder 15 to limit the rearward movement of the bolt, and a handle 16 to limit the forward movement of the bolt by the spring. The plate 7 is provided with a longitudinal opening that extends the length of the spring when the bolt is in its normal position, to allow any-sized spring to be employed and to permit it to be readily compressed without coming in contact with the plate and binding, and it also decreases the weight of the latch.

It will readily be seen that tonguesupports and latches constructed in accordance with this invention are simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction and adapted to be readily applied to a tongue, and the props of them can be engaged with and disengaged from the latches with great ease and without strain on the fingers.

\Vhat I claim is- The combination of the prop provided atone end with a transverse opening and designed to be hinged to the lower face of a tongue by a staple, and the latch comprising the plate 7, adapted to be secured to the lower face of the tongue and provided near its end with depending t-ransversely-arranged integral lugs 9 and 10, the former being provided with a square opening 11 and the latter having a circular opening 12, said plate 7 having a central longitudinal opening extending from lug to lug, the sliding bolt arranged in the opening of the lug and having its front portion squared and the rear portion cylindrical, and having its front end beveled and arranged to engage the free end of the prop and provided with a shoulder 15 to limit the rearward movement of the bolt the handle 16, secured to the bolt and limiting the forward movement of the same, and the spiral spring encircling the cylindrical portion of the bolt and interposed between the lug 10 and the squared portion of'the bolt and arranged opposite the central longitudinal open- IO ing of the plate, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed mysig'nature in presence of two Witnesses.

'roBIAs HERBIG.

Witnesses:

CHARLES EGG, JOSEPH HERBIG. 

